With the village focused on the arena...
On the outskirts of Konoha, in the dense woods beyond the village walls, a four-member Anbu squad was carrying out its routine patrol.
Swish~~
Swish~~
Swish~~
Four figures darted rapidly from tree to tree.
The four reached a clearing and were about to head for their next destination when one of them suddenly stopped and looked around.
But after searching for a long while, he didn't find anything suspicious.
"Was that just my imagination?" the Anbu member murmured, looking dazed.
Seeing this, the squad leader quickly asked in a low voice, "Did you notice anything unusual?"
"No. I might have been mistaken," the member replied quietly.
That was what he said, but for some reason, he couldn't shake the inexplicable unease in his heart.
It was as if something major was about to happen.
"If nothing's wrong, then let's keep moving," the leader urged. He just wanted to finish the day's patrol as soon as possible.
With that, he led the way toward the next location. The other two members quickly followed, while the one who had stopped glanced back to make sure he hadn't left anything behind before catching up with the others.
As soon as the four-member squad left, dozens of fully armed Sound ninja emerged from the nearby bushes. They had been lying in wait for quite some time.
Once they were sure the coast was clear, the Sound ninja squad leader gestured for his men to spread out. Everyone behind him dispersed.
Back at the Chunin Ninja Exams finals.
In the arena, Gaara's technique drew more and more sand toward him, until it formed a sphere that completely encased him.
Seeing the sphere before him, Sasuke—now swollen with power—looked disdainful, the corner of his mouth curling into a